Maryland to begin review of DC sniper Lee Boyd Malvo's life sentences without parole
WASHINGTON - Maryland's highest court will begin oral arguments Tuesday in the case of Lee Boyd Malvo, who is serving life in prison for his role in the 2002 sniper spree that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region.
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Malvo's lawyers have argued that his punishment goes against a 2012 Supreme Court ruling barring mandatory life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders.
Lee Malvo (l) and John Allen Muhammad (r)
His lawyers say he should benefit from Maryland's new law enabling prisoners convicted as juveniles to seek release once they've served at least 20 years.
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Malvo was 17 when he and John Allen Muhammad embarked on a killing spree that left 10 people dead and three wounded in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Others were killed as the pair made their way to the D.C. region from Washington state. Muhammad was executed in 2009.
FAIRFAX, : Sniper suspect Lee Malvo (c) leaves a pre-trial hearing at the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court 04 December 2002 in Fairfax, Virginia. Malvo is a suspect in a sniper style killing spree. AFP Photo/Luke FRAZZA (Photo cre
Malvo's lawyers have claimed that the six life-without-parole terms he received in Maryland are illegal in light of U.S. Supreme Court decisions saying mandatory life-without-parole sentences are unconstitutional for juveniles except in rare cases.
The Associated Press contributed to this report